Smoky Spiced Eggplant Saute

This smoky, Indian spiced eggplant is a versatile dish that can be served with basmati rice and yogurt sauce as a perfect vegetarian meal or as a side dish to accompany your favorite meat.This is a recipe for all food lovers. The texture and combination of the ethnic flavors creates such a wonderful dish for all to enjoy.We had never roasted an eggplant before and didn’t realize how much flavor enhancement it provides. It’s so easy to roast – you just put the broiler on high and turn the eggplant every few minutes until all of the skin is very dark purple – almost black.Another option is to char-grill the eggplant or if you have a gas stove you can char the eggplant turning it to get all sides using tongs. That’s our favorite way to do it! That makes you feel like a chef 🙂I will say that I am not a big leftover meals person but this dish is absolutely wonderful the second day. The flavors really have a chance to soak in and come alive.If you were having a dinner party this is a dish you could make that morning and then just heat up and it would be just as good if not better. I love dishes that you can make ahead of time like that!I like to be ready when people come over to socialize…..not be running around like crazy in the kitchen trying to put the last minute details on everything.I could also see this as a wonderful appetizer. You could serve it with naan or crackers and it would be fabulous. It would be something unique and different. And I promise – even if you aren’t an eggplant lover you will like this dish! There are so many flavors in here that they all blend together and you can’t exactly tell it’s even eggplant. My son falls into that category. We finally got him to have some and he had two more helping after he finally tasted it. He will eat almost anything….but eggplant is one of those things he isn’t overly fond of. But he loved this dish!As a side note – Trader Joes has WONDERFUL frozen naan. You heat it up in about 5 minutes and you would never know it had been frozen!

Smoky Spiced Eggplant Saute

Yield:4 servings

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:30 mins

Total Time:45 mins

This smoky, Indian spiced eggplant is a versatile dish that can be served with basmati rice and yogurt sauce as a perfect vegetarian meal or as a side dish to accompany your favorite meat.

Directions:

Turn Broiler on High

Place eggplant on a cookie sheet and broil until the outside skin is nice a crispy. You will need to turn the eggplant every few minutes so that you get all sides equally roasted. It’s okay if it looks a little black. That will create a nice smoky taste.

While the eggplant is cooling – combine the onion, ginger, garlic and the can of chillies in a blender. Pulse until chopped together. Stop before it becomes a paste.

Heat oil and place mixture in a deep pan over medium heat. Cook until slightly browned. Add spices and stir for 1-2 minutes.

Add chopped tomatoes and simmer until the liquid has been reduced.

Peel the outer dark purple skin off the eggplant and slice it into a chunks.

Place eggplant in mixture. Break and mash the eggplant with a wooden spoon.

Stir and simmer for 10 – 12 minutes or until the eggplant becomes nice and soft.

Top with chopped cilantro and service over rice or as a side dish to a vegetarian meal or with a meat.